As of December 2016, 195 countries have signed the Agreement. The goal of the agreement is to hold global warming to "well below" two degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit) over pre-Industrial Revolution levels, and to strive for a limit of 1.5 degrees Celsius.

The agreement requires that “developed” nations help developing countries with the costs of going green, and the costs of coping with the effects of climate change.

The pact promises to make an assessment of progress in 2018, with further reviews every five years.